Radio link monitoring using wake-up receiver

Abstract

A UE measures, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by a network according to a criterion indicative of a radio link quality The criterion comprises: whether a signal power level is above or below a threshold level; or whether a SNR is above or below a 5 threshold ratio; or whether a BLER is above or below a threshold rate; or whether a BER is above or below a threshold rate. The UE uses a timer and / or a counter to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring. The UE performs the countermeasure action, which may for example comprise: monitoring a PDCCH; or turning on a main receiver; or stopping operation of the wake-up receiver; or switching to 0 measuring a different type of signal; or switching to measuring using a different type of wake-up receiver.

Description

[0001] RADIO LINK MONITORING USING WAKE-UP RECEIVER

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to wireless communication, and more specifically to radio link monitoring using a wake-up receiver (WUR).

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Wake-up receiver and wake-up signal

[0006] A wake-up receiver (WUR), sometimes also referred to as ‘wake-up radio’, is about enabling a low power receiver in user equipment (UEs), which, in case of the detection of a wake-up signal (WUS), may wake up the main (baseband / RF / less power efficient) receiver to detect an incoming message, typically paging (e.g. physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in paging occasions (PO), scheduling the paging message on the physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)). The main benefit of employing a WUR is lowering energy consumption and longer device battery life, or at a fixed energy consumption the downlink latency can be reduced (shorter discontinuous reception (DRX) / duty-cycles and more frequent checks for incoming transmissions). Figure 1 shows an example location of a WUS and the paging occasion (PO) to which it is associated. The black color indicates an actual WUS and the associated monitored PO, while the white color indicates potential WUS occasions and the associated POs that would need to be monitored if a WUS is detected.

[0007] In general, two approaches for detecting WUS include:

[0008] • Using the main receiver: o No need for additional dedicated hardware / receiver for monitoring WUS o Coverage of the main receiver is not typically impacted o Limited power saving gain as the main receiver monitors WUS

[0009] • Having a dedicated receiver (WUR): o Extremely low power, simple and low-cost receiver architecture, relaxed requirements, noisier (i.e., less accurate) clock or oscillator o Significant power saving gain can be achieved by maximizing the time in which the main receiver can be in the sleep mode o Enablers for zero energy / battery -less devices, and energy harvesting operations, o There are coverage considerations given the tradeoff between WUR power consumption and sensitivity.

[0010] As an example, Figure 2 shows that a dedicated WUR is used for monitoring a WUS. Once the WUR detects the intended WUS, it wakes up the main (baseband / radio frequency (RF) / less power efficient) receiver to detect further incoming messages. Therefore, the main receiver can go to sleep mode and save power until it is triggered by the WUR. Here, the WUR is an ultra-low power and low-complexity receiver that can support simple modulation schemes such as on-off keying (OOK), frequency shift keying (FSK), or phase shift keying (PSK). However, the WUS is transmitted using an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)-based transmitter.

[0011] NR WUR

[0012] In 3rdGeneration Partnership Project (3GPP) Release-18 (Rel-18), there has been a rather large interest in introducing WUR for new radio (NR), with an ambition for achieving more significant energy efficiency improvement compared to solutions already specified in earlier releases. The only specification support needed to be able to use a WUR in the UE is the specification of a WUS and a long enough time gap between the WUS and the PDCCH in the PO (to allow the UE to start up the main receiver). Therefore, the main difference to Rel-17 Paging Early Indication (PEI) is that the WUS in Rel-18 should not be PDCCH-based and allow for a simpler and low power receiver, i.e. WUR with simple modulation and detection techniques (e.g. using on-off keying (OOK) modulation and non-coherent detection).

[0013] In Rel-18, a study item on “low-power wake-up signal and receiver for NR” was approved. The relevant justification sections are copied below:

[0014] • Justification

[0015] 5thgeneration (5G) systems are designed and developed targeting for both mobile telephony and vertical use cases. Besides latency, reliability, and availability, UE energy efficiency is also critical to 5G. Currently, 5G devices may have to be recharged per week or day, depending on individual ’s usage time. In general, 5G devices consume tens of milliwatts in radio resource control (RRC) idle / inactive state and hundreds of milliwatts in RRC connected state. Designs to prolong battery life are a necessity for improving energy efficiency as well as for better user experience.

[0016] Energy efficiency is even more critical for UEs without a continuous energy source, e.g., UEs using small rechargeable and single coin cell batteries. Among vertical use cases, sensors and actuators are deployed extensively for monitoring, measuring, charging, etc. Generally, their batteries are not rechargeable and are expected to last at least few years as described in TR 38.875. Wearables include smart watches, rings, eHealth related devices, and medical monitoring devices. With typical battery capacity, it is challenging to sustain up to 1-2 weeks as required.

[0017] The power consumption depends on the configured length of wake-up periods, e.g., paging cycle. To meet the battery life requirements above, an extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle with a large value is expected to be used, resulting in high latency, which is not suitable for such services with requirements of both long battery life and low latency. For example, in fire detection and extinguishment use case, fire shutters shall be closed and fire sprinklers shall be turned on by the actuators within 1 to 2 seconds from the time the fire is detected by sensors, long eDRX cycle cannot meet the delay requirements. eDRX is apparently not suitable for latency-critical use cases. Thus, the intention is to study ultralow power mechanisms that can support low latency in Rel-18, e.g. lower than eDRX latency. Currently, UEs need to periodically wake up once per DRX cycle, which dominates the power consumption in periods with no signaling or data traffic. If UEs are able to wake up only when they are triggered, e.g., paging, power consumption could be dramatically reduced. This can be achieved by using a wake-up signal to trigger the main radio and a separate receiver which has the ability to monitor wake-up signal with ultra-low power consumption. The main radio works for data transmission and reception, which can be turned off or set to deep sleep unless it is turned on.

[0018] The power consumption for monitoring wake-up signal depends on the wake-up signal design and the hardware module of the wake-up receiver used for signal detecting and processing.

[0019] The study may primarily target low -power WUS / WUR for power -sensitive, small form-factor devices including loT use cases (such as industrial sensors, and controllers) andwearables. Other use cases are not precluded, e.g.XR / smart glasses, smart phones.

[0020] The benefit of WUR is to reduce the energy consumption of the receiver, such that unless there is any paging and data for the UE it can remain in a power saving state. This will extend the battery life of the device, or alternatively enable shorter downlink latency (shorter DRX) at a fixed battery life.

[0021] The Rel-18 study item on “low-power wake-up signal and receiver for NR” is completed and the technical report is provided in: 3GPP TR 38.869, VO.4.0, “Study on low-power Wake-up Signal and Receiver for NR”. Subsequently, there will be Rel-19 work item to specify the various design aspects of WUS / WUR.

[0022] For Rel-19, a work item has been agreed to specify the wake-up signal for both RRC Idle / Inactive and RRC Connected states: RP-234056, New WID: Low-power wake-up signal and receiver for NR (LP WUS / WUR). The objectives are the following:

[0023] The objectives of the work item are the following: • To specify a low power wake-up signal (LP-WUS) design commonly applicable to both IDLE / INACTIVE and CONNECTED modes

[0024] • Specify OOK (OOK-1 and / or OOK-4) based LP-WUS with overlaid OFDM sequence(s) over OOK symbol

[0025] • The LP-WUS design shall ensure that for IDLE / INACTIVE operation, the same information is delivered irrespective of LP-WUR type. The OFDM sequence can carry information.

[0026] • Note:

[0027] • OOK1 is an on-off keying (OOK) waveform with a single segment within one OFDM symbol

[0028] • OOK4 is an OOK waveform with multiple segments within one OFDM symbols

[0029] • At least duty-cycled monitoring of LP-WUS is supported

[0030] • For IDLE / INACTIVE modes

[0031] • Specify procedure and configuration of LP-WUS indicating paging monitoring triggered by LP-WUS, including at least configuration, sub-grouping and entry / exit condition for LP-WUS monitoring

[0032] • Specify LP-SS with periodicity with Yms for LP-WUR, for synchronization and / or RRM for serving cell.

[0033] • LP-SS is based on OOK-1 and / or OOK-4 waveform with or without overlaid OFDM sequences. Further down selection between with and without overlaid OFDM sequences is to be done within WI.

[0034] • Note: For LP-WUR that can receive existing Primary Synchronization Signal (PSS) / secondary synchronization signa (SSS), existing PSS / SSS can be used for synchronization and radio resource management (RRM) instead of low power synchronization signal (LP-SS).

[0035] • Y will be decided within. 320ms is the starting point.

[0036] • Specify further RRM relaxation of UE main receiver (MR) for both serving and neighbor cell measurements, and UE serving cell RRM measurement offloaded from MR to low power WUR (LP-WUR), including the necessary conditions

[0037] • For CONNECTED mode, specify procedures to allow UE MR PDCCH monitoring triggered by LP-WUS including activation and deactivation procedure of LP-WUS monitoring

[0038] • Note: In CONNECTED mode, UE MR ultra-deep sleep is not considered, and UE radio resource management (RRM) / radio link monitoring (RLM) / beam failure detection (BFD) channel state information (CSI) measurements are performed by MR

[0039] • Note: The target coverage of LP-WUS and LP-SS shall be the coverage of physical unlink shared channel (PUSCH) for messages.

[0040] • Note: The optimization of LP-WUS signal design for idle / inactive mode is prioritized over the optimization for connected mode.

[0041] • Specify the necessary core requirement(s) to support the feature.

[0042] WUS functionality in RRC connected mode

[0043] Some relevant agreements related to this so far:

[0044] Agreement:

[0045] • For RRC connected mode, the following is assumed for LP-WUS study o RLM / BFD / CSI are performed by UE main radio (MR) o RRM measurements are performed by UE main radio (MR) o Ultra-deep sleep state is not allowed for MR.

[0046] • Study additional support of RRM measurement by LP-WUR for RRC connected mode

[0047] • Study RRC connected mode LP-WUS functionality / purpose / procedures

[0048] • Study RRC connected mode LP-WUS activationZdeactivation procedures.

[0049] • Study RRC connected mode LP-WUS bandwidth (BW), whether same as IDLE / Inactive mode or different

[0050] In RRC connected, study the relationship between LP-WUS and legacy UE power saving techniques.

[0051] Agreement:

[0052] ■ In RRC CONNECTED mode, study benefit of LP-WUS over existing Rel- 15, R16, andR17 power saving techniques for following functionalities: o LP-WUS with similar functionality as R16 data channel power saving (DCP). o LP-WUS activates / resumes PDCCH monitoring when LP-WUS is received.

[0053] ■ interaction with legacy power saving techniques, if any o other functionalities are not precluded o for evaluation • assumption on MR sleep state when LP-WUR is moni toring LP- WUS o deep sleep, o light sleep, o micro sleep

[0054] • how to activate / deactivate LP-WUS monitoring and deactivate / activate PDCCH monitoring

[0055] • LP-WUS waveform

[0056] ■ In RRC CONNECTED mode, LP-WUS monitoring can be activated / deactivated by at least one or more of o by gNB RRC signaling, with or without UE assistance. o by gNB L1 / L2 LP-WUS activation / deactivation signaling, with or without UE assistance. o based on pre-configured condition(s) , such as timer. o LP-WUS monitoring by UE is known to gNB, study whether it could be transparent to gNB. o other options are not precluded.

[0057] There currently exist certain challenge(s). 3GPP introduces the WUS signal monitoring in Rel-19 to reduce the UE receiver power during Connected and Idle mode. The UE may be equipped with an additional wake up receiver (WUR) to receive the LP-WUS signal. During the connected mode, the UE may monitor a WUS signal using the WUR and if there is no WUS received, the UE may continue to keep the main receiver in sleep mode, therefore, additional energy may be saved.

[0058] The UE may do the following at RRC connected mode: The UE:

[0059] Monitors Short Messages transmitted with paging radio network temporary identifier (P- RNTI) over downlink control information (DCI), if configured;

[0060] Monitors control channels associated with the shared data channel to determine if data is scheduled for it;

[0061] Provides channel quality and feedback information;

[0062] Performs neighboring cell measurements and measurement reporting;

[0063] Acquires system information;

[0064] Performs immediate minimization of drive test (MDT) measurement together with available location reporting; If configured by upper layers for multimedia broadcast service (MBS) broadcast reception, the UE acquires multimedia broadcast / multicast control channel (MCCH) change notification and MBS broadcast control information and data.

[0065] To save UE power, the UE may enable the WUR to monitor the WUS signal without waking up the main receiver. When a WUS signal targeted to this UE is successfully decoded, the UE then wakes up its main receiver to monitor the DCI and control channel. Such behavior is similar to Rel-16 DCI based wake up signal. But the new type of WUS and its associated WUR introduce new challenges that need to be addressed.

[0066] SUMMARY

[0067] Traditionally, radio link failure detection relies on the main receiver to decode the PDCCH. The WUS signal in Rel-19 is a new physical channel or signal, and if the radio link management still relies on the legacy PDCCH based RLM / BFD, then when the WUS signal is detected in one WUS occasion but not detectable in another WUS occasion, the UE may exit the WUS procedure too quick because undetectable WUS signal may occur only once due to the mobility or fading of the channel. Therefore, the UE may lose the opportunity of the further power saving enabled by the WUR. A radio link management suitable for WUS and / or WUR is needed to improve the evaluation of the signal quality before any actions are taken by the UE relating to WUR operation.

[0068] Certain aspects of the disclosure and their embodiments may provide solutions to these or other challenges. For example, particular embodiments introduce WUS RLM with Rel-19 WUS signal design to avoid signal quality disturbance on the WUS radio link. In addition, WUR specific RLM may lead the UE to be within WUS coverage and that the WUS monitoring works properly (meaning, for example, terminating the use of WUS or switching the type of WUR). In particular embodiments, WUR specific RLM may be introduced to facilitate that the UE remains within WUS coverage and that the WUS monitoring works properly (terminating the use of WUS or switching the type of WUR).

[0069] A first aspect provides embodiments of a method by a UE. The method comprises measuring, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by a network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality. The at least one criterion comprises: whether a signal power level is above or below a threshold level; or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below a threshold ratio; or whether a block error rate is above or below a threshold rate; or whether a bit error rate is above or below a threshold rate. The method further comprises using a timer and / or a counter to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring. The method further comprises performing the countermeasure action.

[0070] Corresponding embodiments of a UE are also provided.

[0071] A second aspect provides embodiments of a method by a network node of a network. The method comprises transmitting, to a UE, a threshold level or threshold ratio for the UE to measure, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by the network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality. The at least one criterion comprises whether a signal power level is above or below the threshold level or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below the threshold ratio. The method further comprises transmitting, to the UE, a threshold value for the UE to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein: a first timer and a first counter are used to determine whether the countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; a first counter is increased when, during a time period set by the first timer, the signal power level is below the threshold level or the signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and the countermeasure action is performed when the first counter exceeds the threshold value during the time period set by the first timer.

[0072] Corresponding embodiments of a network node are also provided.

[0073] Certain embodiments may provide one or more of the following technical advantage(s). For example, particular embodiments provide UE power saving and facilitate an increased UE reachability in the network. As another example, particular embodiments provide systems and methods to facilitate effective function and operation of WUR in connected mode. As another example, particular embodiments reduce network complexity and overhead, thereby, improving the overall functioning of the network.

[0074] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0075] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0076] Figure 1 illustrates an example of the location of a WUS and the paging occasion to which it is associated;

[0077] Figure 2 shows a device with a dedicated wake-up radio (WUR) for monitoring a wake-up signal (WUS);

[0078] Figure 3 shows a method performed by a UE in accordance with some embodiments; Figure 4 shows a method performed by a network node in accordance with some embodiments;

[0079] Figure 5 shows an example of a communication system in accordance with some embodiments;

[0080] Figure 6 shows a UE in accordance with some embodiments;

[0081] Figure 7 shows a network node in accordance with some embodiments;

[0082] Figure 8 is a block diagram of a host in accordance with some embodiments;

[0083] Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized; and

[0084] Figure 10 shows a communication diagram of a host communicating via a network node with a UE over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments.

[0085] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0086] Some of the embodiments contemplated herein will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Embodiments are provided by way of example to convey the scope of the subject matter to those skilled in the art.

[0087] Operating condition. The WUS radio link management described below may relate to any of the below functions: o Monitoring the WUS link quality, including the evaluation of the radio link quality, for example, WUS signal detection and / or WUS signal measurement o WUS link failure detection o Actions upon which WUS link failure occurs, including recovery, exiting WUS procedure WUS signals in above can be any of below: o WUS signal target to UE

[0088] O LP-SS for OOKWUR o Legacy SSB for OFDM WUR.

[0089] In particular embodiments, the WUS radio link monitoring using WUR receiver is done by a UE by measuring a WUS signal(s) which are transmitted by network and evaluate the signal quality according to one of the criteria below: o Signal power level, whether signal power level is above or below a configured threshold o SNR, whether is lower or higher than a configured threshold o BLER or BER, whether it is above or below a certain threshold, e.g. lower a certain threshold results in decoding failure

[0090] In particular embodiments, a WUS signal detection failure occurs for one occasion of measurement or evaluation when one of the below criteria is met: o Signal power level is below a configured threshold o SNR is lower than a configured threshold o BLER or BER is below a certain threshold, e.g. lower a certain threshold results in decoding failure

[0091] WUS radio link failure may for example occur if one of conditions described in below embodiments is fulfilled using one of the above evaluation criteria.

[0092] In particular embodiments, a timer (Twus) and / or a counter (Nwus) is associated with the WUS radio link monitoring when the UE is monitoring any of the WUS signals stated above. The counter may be increased by 1 if another WUS detection failure occurs during the timer Twus. A threshold (Hl) defining the maximum allowed number of WUS detection failures to which this counter Nwus is compared, may be configured by network or predefined. This threshold may depend on several factors including coverage condition (SNR, SINR, RSRP, RSRQ), UE speed, WUS parameters such as its duration, bandwidth, transmit power (e.g., power boosting level), and WUR architecture. The purpose of the counter is to make sure the WUS signal quality is consistently measured.

[0093] When the Nwus reaches or exceeds the threshold Hl during the timer Twus, WUS radio link failure is declared by UE and any of the below actions can be taken by UE: o Exit the WUS procedure, turn on the main radio and monitoring the PDCCH instead (possibly stopping WUR operation if WUS is not expected from gNB). o Not to exit the WUS procedure, for the case of dual-mode WUR operation (i.e., UE supporting WUR type 1 and type 2 with different capabilities and performance), the UE switches the type of WUR. For example, a more capable WUR (e.g., OFDM-based WUR) is used for detecting WUS.

[0094] In an add-on to the above, the counter may be decreased by a certain number or reset to zero when no detection failure has occurred during a second timer TwusNoFa11.

[0095] Because the UE may not expect WUS to be transmitted, and it may not be transmitted for a long time during inactivity, in some embodiments, the ‘WUR-specific Radio Link Monitoring’ (WUR RLM) is instead based on a signals periodically broadcast by the gNB and which the UE can still receive using the WUR. For UEs with OOK-based WUR, this would be the new low- power sync signal (LP-SS) which is expected to have a very similar design to the OOK-based WUS. For UEs with OFDM-based WUR, this is the legacy PSS or SSS. These signals have a periodicity known to the UE, and thus a detection failure increasing Nwus during the timer Twus would be straight forward for the UE to detect.

[0096] In particular embodiments related to the UE, a timer (Twus) is associated with the WUS reception. This timer is started or restarted or reset after every successful reception of WUS. Upon expiry of the timer, the UE may declare the WUS radio link failure and performs one or more of the actions listed above (e.g., UE starts monitoring PDCCH using the main receiver or applies a more robust configuration for WUS monitoring, or turn on a more capable WUR type).

[0097] In particular embodiments related to the UE, both a timer (Twus2) and a counter (Nwus) as described above are associated with the WUS reception. The counter is increased by 1 for every WUS detection failure, the counter is limited by a threshold (Hl) as described in earlier embodiment. Upon counter value reaching or exceeding the threshold Hl, the UE starts the timer (TWUS2). If the UE did not successfully receive any WUS before the expiry of the timer, the UE performs one or more of the actions listed above (e.g. the UE starts monitoring PDCCH using the main receiver). However, if the UE did successfully receive any WUS before the expiry of the timer, the timer is reset or disabled.

[0098] In particular embodiments related to the UE, both a timer (Twus2) and a counter (Nwus) as described above are associated with the WUS reception. The timer is started or restarted or reset upon first WUS detection failure and the counter is increased by one for every new WUS detection failure. The UE may declare the WUS radio link failure and performs one or more of the actions listed above (e.g. the UE starts monitoring PDCCH using the main receiver), when the counter reaches or exceeds the threshold Hl or if the timer expires, i.e. whichever happens first.

[0099] In particular embodiments, a timer (Twus) is started and / or restarted when a WUS is successfully detected and decoded and additionally a counter (Nwus) as described above is used to count the number of failures. When either the timer expires or the counter exceeds a threshold Hl, the UE performs one or more of the actions listed above.

[0100] In view of what has been described above, a first aspect provides embodiments of a method 300 performed by a UE. Figure 3 is a flow chart illustrating this method 300. The method 300 comprises measuring 310, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by a network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality. The at least one criterion comprises: whether a signal power level is above or below a threshold level; or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below a threshold ratio; or whether a block error rate is above or below a threshold rate; or whether a bit error rate is above or below a threshold rate.

[0101] The method 300 further comprises using a timer and / or a counter to determine 320 whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring. The method 300 further comprises performing 330 the countermeasure action.

[0102] According to some embodiments, the determination 320 may be made using both a timer and a counter. Some such embodiments have been described above. According to some embodiments, the determination 320 may be made using a timer but no counter. For example, the timer may be started when a signal power level is above the threshold level, and a countermeasure action may be performed unless the signal power level has been above the threshold level again before the timer expires.

[0103] According to some embodiments, the determination 320 may be made using a counter but no timer. For example, the counter may count how many times in a row the signal power level is below the threshold level, and a countermeasure action may be performed if the counter reaches a threshold level.

[0104] A second aspect provides embodiments of a method 400 performed by a network node of a network. Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating this method 400. The method 400 comprises transmitting 410, to a UE, a threshold level or threshold ratio for the UE to measure, using a wakeup receiver, one or more signals transmitted by the network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality. The at least one criterion comprises whether a signal power level is above or below the threshold level or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below the threshold ratio. The method 400 further comprises transmitting 420, to the UE, a threshold value for the UE to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein: a first timer and a first counter are used to determine whether the countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; the first counter is increased when, during a time period set by the first timer, the signal power level is below the threshold level or the signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and the countermeasure action is performed when the first counter exceeds the threshold value during the time period set by the first timer.

[0105] Figure 5 shows an example of a communication system 500 in accordance with some embodiments. In the example, the communication system 500 includes a telecommunication network 502 that includes an access network 504, such as a radio access network (RAN), and a core network 506, which includes one or more core network nodes 508. The access network 504 includes one or more access network nodes, such as network nodes 510a and 510b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as network nodes 510), or any other similar 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access node or non-3GPP access point. The network nodes 510 facilitate direct or indirect connection of user equipment (UE), such as by connecting UEs 512a, 512b, 512c, and 512d (one or more of which may be generally referred to as UEs 512) to the core network 506 over one or more wireless connections. Example wireless communications over a wireless connection include transmitting and / or receiving wireless signals using electromagnetic waves, radio waves, infrared waves, and / or other types of signals suitable for conveying information without the use of wires, cables, or other material conductors. Moreover, in different embodiments, the communication system 500 may include any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, UEs, and / or any other components or systems that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and / or signals whether via wired or wireless connections. The communication system 500 may include and / or interface with any type of communication, telecommunication, data, cellular, radio network, and / or other similar type of system.

[0106] The UEs 512 may be any of a wide variety of communication devices, including wireless devices arranged, configured, and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with the network nodes 510 and other communication devices. Similarly, the network nodes 510 are arranged, capable, configured, and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with the UEs 512 and / or with other network nodes or equipment in the telecommunication network 502 to enable and / or provide network access, such as wireless network access, and / or to perform other functions, such as administration in the telecommunication network 502.

[0107] In the depicted example, the core network 506 connects the network nodes 510 to one or more hosts, such as host 516. These connections may be direct or indirect via one or more intermediary networks or devices. In other examples, network nodes may be directly coupled to hosts. The core network 506 includes one more core network nodes (e.g., core network node 508) that are structured with hardware and software components. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the UEs, network nodes, and / or hosts, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of the core network node 508. Example core network nodes include functions of one or more of a Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Mobility Management Entity (MME), Home Subscriber Server (HSS), Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Authentication Server Function (AUSF), Subscription Identifier De-concealing function (SIDF), Unified Data Management (UDM), Security Edge Protection Proxy (SEPP), Network Exposure Function (NEF), and / or a User Plane Function (UPF).

[0108] The host 516 may be under the ownership or control of a service provider other than an operator or provider of the access network 504 and / or the telecommunication network 502, and may be operated by the service provider or on behalf of the service provider. The host 516 may host a variety of applications to provide one or more service. Examples of such applications include live and pre-recorded audio / video content, data collection services such as retrieving and compiling data on various ambient conditions detected by a plurality of UEs, analytics functionality, social media, functions for controlling or otherwise interacting with remote devices, functions for an alarm and surveillance center, or any other such function performed by a server.

[0109] As a whole, the communication system 500 of Figure 5 enables connectivity between the UEs, network nodes, and hosts. In that sense, the communication system may be configured to operate according to predefined rules or procedures, such as specific standards that include, but are not limited to: Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM); Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); Long Term Evolution (LTE), and / or other suitable 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G standards, or any applicable future generation standard (e.g., 6G); wireless local area network (WLAN) standards, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standards (WiFi); and / or any other appropriate wireless communication standard, such as the Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMax), Bluetooth, Z-Wave, Near Field Communication (NFC) ZigBee, LiFi, and / or any low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) standards such as LoRa and Sigfox.

[0110] In some examples, the telecommunication network 502 is a cellular network that implements 3GPP standardized features. Accordingly, the telecommunications network 502 may support network slicing to provide different logical networks to different devices that are connected to the telecommunication network 502. For example, the telecommunications network 502 may provide Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC) services to some UEs, while providing Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) services to other UEs, and / or Massive Machine Type Communication (mMTC) / Massive loT services to yet further UEs.

[0111] In some examples, the UEs 512 are configured to transmit and / or receive information without direct human interaction. For instance, a UE may be designed to transmit information to the access network 504 on a predetermined schedule, when triggered by an internal or external event, or in response to requests from the access network 504. Additionally, a UE may be configured for operating in single- or multi-RAT or multi-standard mode. For example, a UE may operate with any one or combination of Wi-Fi, NR (New Radio) and LTE, i.e. being configured for multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), such as E-UTRAN (Evolved-UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network) New Radio - Dual Connectivity (EN-DC).

[0112] In the example, the hub 514 communicates with the access network 504 to facilitate indirect communication between one or more UEs (e.g., UE 512c and / or 512d) and network nodes (e.g., network node 510b). In some examples, the hub 514 may be a controller, router, content source and analytics, or any of the other communication devices described herein regarding UEs. For example, the hub 514 may be a broadband router enabling access to the core network 506 for the UEs. As another example, the hub 514 may be a controller that sends commands or instructions to one or more actuators in the UEs. Commands or instructions may be received from the UEs, network nodes 510, or by executable code, script, process, or other instructions in the hub 514. As another example, the hub 514 may be a data collector that acts as temporary storage for UE data and, in some embodiments, may perform analysis or other processing of the data. As another example, the hub 514 may be a content source. For example, for a UE that is a VR headset, display, loudspeaker or other media delivery device, the hub 514 may retrieve VR assets, video, audio, or other media or data related to sensory information via a network node, which the hub 514 then provides to the UE either directly, after performing local processing, and / or after adding additional local content. In still another example, the hub 514 acts as a proxy server or orchestrator for the UEs, in particular in if one or more of the UEs are low energy loT devices.

[0113] The hub 514 may have a constant / persistent or intermittent connection to the network node 510b. The hub 514 may also allow for a different communication scheme and / or schedule between the hub 514 and UEs (e.g., UE 512c and / or 512d), and between the hub 514 and the core network 506. In other examples, the hub 514 is connected to the core network 506 and / or one or more UEs via a wired connection. Moreover, the hub 514 may be configured to connect to an M2M service provider over the access network 504 and / or to another UE over a direct connection. In some scenarios, UEs may establish a wireless connection with the network nodes 510 while still connected via the hub 514 via a wired or wireless connection. In some embodiments, the hub 514 may be a dedicated hub - that is, a hub whose primary function is to route communications to / from the UEs from / to the network node 510b. In other embodiments, the hub 514 may be a nondedicated hub - that is, a device which is capable of operating to route communications between the UEs and network node 510b, but which is additionally capable of operating as a communication start and / or end point for certain data channels.

[0114] Figure 6 shows a UE 600 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, a UE refers to a device capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate wirelessly with network nodes and / or other UEs. Examples of a UE include, but are not limited to, a smart phone, mobile phone, cell phone, voice over IP (VoIP) phone, wireless local loop phone, desktop computer, personal digital assistant (PDA), wireless cameras, gaming console or device, music storage device, playback appliance, wearable terminal device, wireless endpoint, mobile station, tablet, laptop, laptop-embedded equipment (LEE), laptop-mounted equipment (LME), smart device, wireless customer-premise equipment (CPE), vehicle-mounted or vehicle embedded / integrated wireless device, etc. Other examples include any UE identified by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), including a narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) UE, a machine type communication (MTC) UE, and / or an enhanced MTC (eMTC) UE.

[0115] A UE may support device-to-device (D2D) communication, for example by implementing a 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC), vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), or vehicle-to-everything (V2X). In other examples, a UE may not necessarily have a user in the sense of a human user who owns and / or operates the relevant device. Instead, a UE may represent a device that is intended for sale to, or operation by, a human user but which may not, or which may not initially, be associated with a specific human user (e.g., a smart sprinkler controller). Alternatively, a UE may represent a device that is not intended for sale to, or operation by, an end user but which may be associated with or operated for the benefit of a user (e.g., a smart power meter).

[0116] The UE 600 includes processing circuitry 602 that is operatively coupled via a bus 604 to an input / output interface 606, a power source 608, a memory 610, a communication interface 612, and / or any other component, or any combination thereof. Certain UEs may utilize all or a subset of the components shown in Figure 6. The level of integration between the components may vary from one UE to another UE. Further, certain UEs may contain multiple instances of a component, such as multiple processors, memories, transceivers, transmitters, receivers, etc.

[0117] The processing circuitry 602 is configured to process instructions and data and may be configured to implement any sequential state machine operative to execute instructions stored as machine-readable computer programs in the memory 610. The processing circuitry 602 may be implemented as one or more hardware-implemented state machines (e.g., in discrete logic, field- programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.); programmable logic together with appropriate firmware; one or more stored computer programs, general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor or digital signal processor (DSP), together with appropriate software; or any combination of the above. For example, the processing circuitry 602 may include multiple central processing units (CPUs).

[0118] In the example, the input / output interface 606 may be configured to provide an interface or interfaces to an input device, output device, or one or more input and / or output devices. Examples of an output device include a speaker, a sound card, a video card, a display, a monitor, a printer, an actuator, an emitter, a smartcard, another output device, or any combination thereof. An input device may allow a user to capture information into the UE 600. Examples of an input device include a touch-sensitive or presence-sensitive display, a camera (e.g., a digital camera, a digital video camera, a web camera, etc.), a microphone, a sensor, a mouse, a trackball, a directional pad, a trackpad, a scroll wheel, a smartcard, and the like. The presence-sensitive display may include a capacitive or resistive touch sensor to sense input from a user. A sensor may be, for instance, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a tilt sensor, a force sensor, a magnetometer, an optical sensor, a proximity sensor, a biometric sensor, etc., or any combination thereof. An output device may use the same type of interface port as an input device. For example, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port may be used to provide an input device and an output device. In some embodiments, the power source 608 is structured as a battery or battery pack. Other types of power sources, such as an external power source (e.g., an electricity outlet), photovoltaic device, or power cell, may be used. The power source 608 may further include power circuitry for delivering power from the power source 608 itself, and / or an external power source, to the various parts of the UE 600 via input circuitry or an interface such as an electrical power cable. Delivering power may be, for example, for charging of the power source 608. Power circuitry may perform any formatting, converting, or other modification to the power from the power source 608 to make the power suitable for the respective components of the UE 600 to which power is supplied.

[0119] The memory 610 may be or be configured to include memory such as random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash drives, and so forth. In one example, the memory 610 includes one or more application programs 614, such as an operating system, web browser application, a widget, gadget engine, or other application, and corresponding data 616. The memory 610 may store, for use by the UE 600, any of a variety of various operating systems or combinations of operating systems.

[0120] The memory 610 may be configured to include a number of physical drive units, such as redundant array of independent disks (RAID), flash memory, USB flash drive, external hard disk drive, thumb drive, pen drive, key drive, high-density digital versatile disc (HD-DVD) optical disc drive, internal hard disk drive, Blu-Ray optical disc drive, holographic digital data storage (HDDS) optical disc drive, external mini-dual in-line memory module (DIMM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), external micro-DIMM SDRAM, smartcard memory such as tamper resistant module in the form of a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) including one or more subscriber identity modules (SIMs), such as a USIM and / or ISIM, other memory, or any combination thereof. The UICC may for example be an embedded UICC (eUICC), integrated UICC (iUICC) or a removable UICC commonly known as ‘SIM card.’ The memory 610 may allow the UE 600 to access instructions, application programs and the like, stored on transitory or non-transitory memory media, to off-load data, or to upload data. An article of manufacture, such as one utilizing a communication system may be tangibly embodied as or in the memory 610, which may be or comprise a device-readable storage medium.

[0121] The processing circuitry 602 may be configured to communicate with an access network or other network using the communication interface 612. The communication interface 612 may comprise one or more communication subsystems and may include or be communicatively coupled to an antenna 622. The communication interface 612 may include one or more transceivers used to communicate, such as by communicating with one or more remote transceivers of another device capable of wireless communication (e.g., another UE or a network node in an access network). Each transceiver may include a transmitter 618 and / or a receiver 620 appropriate to provide network communications (e.g., optical, electrical, frequency allocations, and so forth). Moreover, the transmitter 618 and receiver 620 may be coupled to one or more antennas (e.g., antenna 622) and may share circuit components, software or firmware, or alternatively be implemented separately.

[0122] In the illustrated embodiment, communication functions of the communication interface 612 may include cellular communication, Wi-Fi communication, LPWAN communication, data communication, voice communication, multimedia communication, short-range communications such as Bluetooth, near-field communication, location-based communication such as the use of the global positioning system (GPS) to determine a location, another like communication function, or any combination thereof. Communications may be implemented in according to one or more communication protocols and / or standards, such as IEEE 802.11, Code Division Multiplexing Access (CDMA), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), GSM, LTE, New Radio (NR), UMTS, WiMax, Ethernet, transmission control protocol / intemet protocol (TCP / IP), synchronous optical networking (SONET), Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), QUIC, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and so forth.

[0123] Regardless of the type of sensor, a UE may provide an output of data captured by its sensors, through its communication interface 612, via a wireless connection to a network node. Data captured by sensors of a UE can be communicated through a wireless connection to a network node via another UE. The output may be periodic (e.g., once every 15 minutes if it reports the sensed temperature), random (e.g., to even out the load from reporting from several sensors), in response to a triggering event (e.g., when moisture is detected an alert is sent), in response to a request (e.g., a user initiated request), or a continuous stream (e.g., a live video feed of a patient).

[0124] As another example, a UE comprises an actuator, a motor, or a switch, related to a communication interface configured to receive wireless input from a network node via a wireless connection. In response to the received wireless input the states of the actuator, the motor, or the switch may change. For example, the UE may comprise a motor that adjusts the control surfaces or rotors of a drone in flight according to the received input or to a robotic arm performing a medical procedure according to the received input.

[0125] A UE, when in the form of an Internet of Things (loT) device, may be a device for use in one or more application domains, these domains comprising, but not limited to, city wearable technology, extended industrial application and healthcare. Non-limiting examples of such an loT device are a device which is or which is embedded in: a connected refrigerator or freezer, a TV, a connected lighting device, an electricity meter, a robot vacuum cleaner, a voice controlled smart speaker, a home security camera, amotion detector, a thermostat, asmoke detector, adoor / window sensor, a flood / moisture sensor, an electrical door lock, a connected doorbell, an air conditioning system like a heat pump, an autonomous vehicle, a surveillance system, a weather monitoring device, a vehicle parking monitoring device, an electric vehicle charging station, a smart watch, a fitness tracker, a head-mounted display for Augmented Reality (AR) or Virtual Reality (VR), a wearable for tactile augmentation or sensory enhancement, a water sprinkler, an animal- or itemtracking device, a sensor for monitoring a plant or animal, an industrial robot, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and any kind of medical device, like a heart rate monitor or a remote controlled surgical robot. A UE in the form of an loT device comprises circuitry and / or software in dependence of the intended application of the loT device in addition to other components as described in relation to the UE 600 shown in Figure 6.

[0126] As yet another specific example, in an loT scenario, a UE may represent a machine or other device that performs monitoring and / or measurements, and transmits the results of such monitoring and / or measurements to another UE and / or a network node. The UE may in this case be an M2M device, which may in a 3GPP context be referred to as an MTC device. As one particular example, the UE may implement the 3GPP NB-IoT standard. In other scenarios, a UE may represent a vehicle, such as a car, a bus, a truck, a ship and an airplane, or other equipment that is capable of monitoring and / or reporting on its operational status or other functions associated with its operation.

[0127] In practice, any number of UEs may be used together with respect to a single use case. For example, a first UE might be or be integrated in a drone and provide the drone’s speed information (obtained through a speed sensor) to a second UE that is a remote controller operating the drone. When the user makes changes from the remote controller, the first UE may adjust the throttle on the drone (e.g. by controlling an actuator) to increase or decrease the drone’s speed. The first and / or the second UE can also include more than one of the functionalities described above. For example, a UE might comprise the sensor and the actuator, and handle communication of data for both the speed sensor and the actuators.

[0128] Figure 7 shows a network node 700 in accordance with some embodiments. As used herein, network node refers to equipment capable, configured, arranged and / or operable to communicate directly or indirectly with a UE and / or with other network nodes or equipment, in a telecommunication network. Examples of network nodes include, but are not limited to, access points (APs) (e.g., radio access points), base stations (BSs) (e.g., radio base stations, Node Bs, evolved Node Bs (eNBs) and NR NodeBs (gNBs)).

[0129] Base stations may be categorized based on the amount of coverage they provide (or, stated differently, their transmit power level) and so, depending on the provided amount of coverage, may be referred to as femto base stations, pico base stations, micro base stations, or macro base stations. A base station may be a relay node or a relay donor node controlling a relay. A network node may also include one or more (or all) parts of a distributed radio base station such as centralized digital units and / or remote radio units (RRUs), sometimes referred to as Remote Radio Heads (RRHs). Such remote radio units may or may not be integrated with an antenna as an antenna integrated radio. Parts of a distributed radio base station may also be referred to as nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS).

[0130] Other examples of network nodes include multiple transmission point (multi-TRP) 5G access nodes, multi-standard radio (MSR) equipment such as MSR BSs, network controllers such as radio network controllers (RNCs) or base station controllers (BSCs), base transceiver stations (BTSs), transmission points, transmission nodes, multi-cell / multicast coordination entities (MCEs), Operation and Maintenance (O&M) nodes, Operations Support System (OSS) nodes, Self-Organizing Network (SON) nodes, positioning nodes (e.g., Evolved Serving Mobile Location Centers (E-SMLCs)), and / or Minimization of Drive Tests (MDTs).

[0131] The network node 700 includes a processing circuitry 702, a memory 704, a communication interface 706, and a power source 708. The network node 700 may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, or a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective components. In certain scenarios in which the network node 700 comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and RNC pair, may in some instances be considered a single separate network node. In some embodiments, the network node 700 may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate memory 704 for different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., a same antenna 710 may be shared by different RATs). The network node 700 may also include multiple sets of the various illustrated components for different wireless technologies integrated into network node 700, for example GSM, WCDMA, LTE, NR, WiFi, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRaWAN, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) or Bluetooth wireless technologies. These wireless technologies may be integrated into the same or different chip or set of chips and other components within network node 700.

[0132] The processing circuitry 702 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and / or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 700 components, such as the memory 704, to provide network node 700 functionality.

[0133] In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 includes a system on a chip (SOC). In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 includes one or more of radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714. In some embodiments, the radio frequency (RF) transceiver circuitry 712 and the baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on separate chips (or sets of chips), boards, or units, such as radio units and digital units. In alternative embodiments, part or all of RF transceiver circuitry 712 and baseband processing circuitry 714 may be on the same chip or set of chips, boards, or units.

[0134] The memory 704 may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer-readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid-state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), mass storage media (for example, a hard disk), removable storage media (for example, a flash drive, a Compact Disk (CD) or a Digital Video Disk (DVD)), and / or any other volatile or non-volatile, non-transitory device-readable and / or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and / or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry 702. The memory 704 may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including a computer program, software, an application including one or more of logic, rules, code, tables, and / or other instructions capable of being executed by the processing circuitry 702 and utilized by the network node 700. The memory 704 may be used to store any calculations made by the processing circuitry 702 and / or any data received via the communication interface 706. In some embodiments, the processing circuitry 702 and memory 704 is integrated.

[0135] The communication interface 706 is used in wired or wireless communication of signaling and / or data between anetwork node, access network, and / or UE. As illustrated, the communication interface 706 comprises port(s) / terminal(s) 716 to send and receive data, for example to and from a network over a wired connection. The communication interface 706 also includes radio frontend circuitry 718 that may be coupled to, or in certain embodiments a part of, the antenna 710. Radio front-end circuitry 718 comprises filters 720 and amplifiers 722. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may be connected to an antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. The radio frontend circuitry may be configured to condition signals communicated between antenna 710 and processing circuitry 702. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or UEs via a wireless connection. The radio front-end circuitry 718 may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters using a combination of filters 720 and / or amplifiers 722. The radio signal may then be transmitted via the antenna 710. Similarly, when receiving data, the antenna 710 may collect radio signals which are then converted into digital data by the radio front-end circuitry 718. The digital data may be passed to the processing circuitry 702. In other embodiments, the communication interface may comprise different components and / or different combinations of components.

[0136] In certain alternative embodiments, the network node 700 does not include separate radio front-end circuitry 718, instead, the processing circuitry 702 includes radio front-end circuitry and is connected to the antenna 710. Similarly, in some embodiments, all or some of the RF transceiver circuitry 712 is part of the communication interface 706. In still other embodiments, the communication interface 706 includes one or more ports or terminals 716, the radio front-end circuitry 718, and the RF transceiver circuitry 712, as part of a radio unit (not shown), and the communication interface 706 communicates with the baseband processing circuitry 714, which is part of a digital unit (not shown).

[0137] The antenna 710 may include one or more antennas, or antenna arrays, configured to send and / or receive wireless signals. The antenna 710 may be coupled to the radio front-end circuitry 718 and may be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and / or signals wirelessly. In certain embodiments, the antenna 710 is separate from the network node 700 and connectable to the network node 700 through an interface or port.

[0138] The antenna 710, communication interface 706, and / or the processing circuitry 702 may be configured to perform any receiving operations and / or certain obtaining operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be received from a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment. Similarly, the antenna 710, the communication interface 706, and / or the processing circuitry 702 may be configured to perform any transmitting operations described herein as being performed by the network node. Any information, data and / or signals may be transmitted to a UE, another network node and / or any other network equipment.

[0139] The power source 708 provides power to the various components of network node 700 in a form suitable for the respective components (e.g., at a voltage and current level needed for each respective component). The power source 708 may further comprise, or be coupled to, power management circuitry to supply the components of the network node 700 with power for performing the functionality described herein. For example, the network node 700 may be connectable to an external power source (e.g., the power grid, an electricity outlet) via an input circuitry or interface such as an electrical cable, whereby the external power source supplies power to power circuitry of the power source 708. As a further example, the power source 708 may comprise a source of power in the form of a battery or battery pack which is connected to, or integrated in, power circuitry. The battery may provide backup power should the external power source fail. Embodiments of the network node 700 may include additional components beyond those shown in Figure 7 for providing certain aspects of the network node’s functionality, including any of the functionality described herein and / or any functionality necessary to support the subject matter described herein. For example, the network node 700 may include user interface equipment to allow input of information into the network node 700 and to allow output of information from the network node 700. This may allow a user to perform diagnostic, maintenance, repair, and other administrative functions for the network node 700.

[0140] Figure 8 is a block diagram of a host 800, which may be an embodiment of the host 516 of Figure 5, in accordance with various aspects described herein. As used herein, the host 800 may be or comprise various combinations hardware and / or software, including a standalone server, a blade server, a cloud-implemented server, a distributed server, a virtual machine, container, or processing resources in a server farm. The host 800 may provide one or more services to one or more UEs.

[0141] The host 800 includes processing circuitry 802 that is operatively coupled via a bus 804 to an input / output interface 806, a network interface 808, a power source 810, and a memory 812. Other components may be included in other embodiments. Features of these components may be substantially similar to those described with respect to the devices of previous figures, such as Figures 6 and 7, such that the descriptions thereof are generally applicable to the corresponding components of host 800.

[0142] The memory 812 may include one or more computer programs including one or more host application programs 814 and data 816, which may include user data, e.g., data generated by a UE for the host 800 or data generated by the host 800 for a UE. Embodiments of the host 800 may utilize only a subset or all of the components shown. The host application programs 814 may be implemented in a container-based architecture and may provide support for video codecs (e.g., Versatile Video Coding (VVC), High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC), Advanced Video Coding (AVC), MPEG, VP9) and audio codecs (e.g., FL AC, Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), MPEG, G.711), including transcoding for multiple different classes, types, or implementations of UEs (e.g., handsets, desktop computers, wearable display systems, heads-up display systems). The host application programs 814 may also provide for user authentication and licensing checks and may periodically report health, routes, and content availability to a central node, such as a device in or on the edge of a core network. Accordingly, the host 800 may select and / or indicate a different host for over-the-top services for a UE. The host application programs 814 may support various protocols, such as the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) protocol, Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP), Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (MPEG-DASH), etc. Figure 9 is a block diagram illustrating a virtualization environment 900 in which functions implemented by some embodiments may be virtualized. In the present context, virtualizing means creating virtual versions of apparatuses or devices which may include virtualizing hardware platforms, storage devices and networking resources. As used herein, virtualization can be applied to any device described herein, or components thereof, and relates to an implementation in which at least a portion of the functionality is implemented as one or more virtual components. Some or all of the functions described herein may be implemented as virtual components executed by one or more virtual machines (VMs) implemented in one or more virtual environments 900 hosted by one or more of hardware nodes, such as a hardware computing device that operates as a network node, UE, core network node, or host. Further, in embodiments in which the virtual node does not require radio connectivity (e.g., a core network node or host), then the node may be entirely virtualized.

[0143] Applications 902 (which may alternatively be called software instances, virtual appliances, network functions, virtual nodes, virtual network functions, etc.) are run in the virtualization environment Q400 to implement some of the features, functions, and / or benefits of some of the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0144] Hardware 904 includes processing circuitry, memory that stores software and / or instructions executable by hardware processing circuitry, and / or other hardware devices as described herein, such as a network interface, input / output interface, and so forth. Software may be executed by the processing circuitry to instantiate one or more virtualization layers 906 (also referred to as hypervisors or virtual machine monitors (VMMs)), provide VMs 908a and 908b (one or more of which may be generally referred to as VMs 908), and / or perform any of the functions, features and / or benefits described in relation with some embodiments described herein. The virtualization layer 906 may present a virtual operating platform that appears like networking hardware to the VMs 908.

[0145] The VMs 908 comprise virtual processing, virtual memory, virtual networking or interface and virtual storage, and may be run by a corresponding virtualization layer 906. Different embodiments of the instance of a virtual appliance 902 may be implemented on one or more of VMs 908, and the implementations may be made in different ways. Virtualization of the hardware is in some contexts referred to as network function virtualization (NFV). NFV may be used to consolidate many network equipment types onto industry standard high volume server hardware, physical switches, and physical storage, which can be located in data centers, and customer premise equipment.

[0146] In the context of NFV, a VM 908 may be a software implementation of a physical machine that runs programs as if they were executing on a physical, non-virtualized machine. Each of the VMs 908, and that part of hardware 904 that executes that VM, be it hardware dedicated to that VM and / or hardware shared by that VM with others of the VMs, forms separate virtual network elements. Still in the context of NFV, a virtual network function is responsible for handling specific network functions that run in one or more VMs 908 on top of the hardware 904 and corresponds to the application 902.

[0147] Hardware 904 may be implemented in a standalone network node with generic or specific components. Hardware 904 may implement some functions via virtualization. Alternatively, hardware 904 may be part of a larger cluster of hardware (e.g. such as in a data center or CPE) where many hardware nodes work together and are managed via management and orchestration 910, which, among others, oversees lifecycle management of applications 902. In some embodiments, hardware 904 is coupled to one or more radio units that each include one or more transmitters and one or more receivers that may be coupled to one or more antennas. Radio units may communicate directly with other hardware nodes via one or more appropriate network interfaces and may be used in combination with the virtual components to provide a virtual node with radio capabilities, such as a radio access node or a base station. In some embodiments, some signaling can be provided with the use of a control system 912 which may alternatively be used for communication between hardware nodes and radio units.

[0148] Figure 10 shows a communication diagram of a host 1002 communicating via a network node 1004 with a UE 1006 over a partially wireless connection in accordance with some embodiments. Example implementations, in accordance with various embodiments, of the UE (such as a UE 512a of Figure 5 and / or UE 600 of Figure 6), network node (such as network node 510a of Figure 5 and / or network node 700 of Figure 7), and host (such as host 516 of Figure 5 and / or host 800 of Figure 8) discussed in the preceding paragraphs will now be described with reference to Figure 10.

[0149] Like host 800, embodiments of host 1002 include hardware, such as a communication interface, processing circuitry, and memory. The host 1002 also includes software, which is stored in or accessible by the host 1002 and executable by the processing circuitry. The software includes a host application that may be operable to provide a service to a remote user, such as the UE 1006 connecting via an over-the-top (OTT) connection 1050 extending between the UE 1006 and host 1002. In providing the service to the remote user, a host application may provide user data which is transmitted using the OTT connection 1050.

[0150] The network node 1004 includes hardware enabling it to communicate with the host 1002 and UE 1006. The connection 1060 may be direct or pass through a core network (like core network 506 of Figure 5) and / or one or more other intermediate networks, such as one or more public, private, or hosted networks. For example, an intermediate network may be a backbone network or the Internet.

[0151] The UE 1006 includes hardware and software, which is stored in or accessible by UE 1006 and executable by the UE’s processing circuitry. The software includes a client application, such as a web browser or operator-specific “app” that may be operable to provide a service to a human or non-human user via UE 1006 with the support of the host 1002. In the host 1002, an executing host application may communicate with the executing client application via the OTT connection 1050 terminating at the UE 1006 and host 1002. In providing the service to the user, the UE's client application may receive request data from the host's host application and provide user data in response to the request data. The OTT connection 1050 may transfer both the request data and the user data. The UE's client application may interact with the user to generate the user data that it provides to the host application through the OTT connection 1050.

[0152] The OTT connection 1050 may extend via a connection 1060 between the host 1002 and the network node 1004 and via a wireless connection 1070 between the network node 1004 and the UE 1006 to provide the connection between the host 1002 and the UE 1006. The connection 1060 and wireless connection 1070, over which the OTT connection 1050 may be provided, have been drawn abstractly to illustrate the communication between the host 1002 and the UE 1006 via the network node 1004, without explicit reference to any intermediary devices and the precise routing of messages via these devices.

[0153] As an example of transmitting data via the OTT connection 1050, in step 1008, the host 1002 provides user data, which may be performed by executing a host application. In some embodiments, the user data is associated with a particular human user interacting with the UE 1006. In other embodiments, the user data is associated with a UE 1006 that shares data with the host 1002 without explicit human interaction. In step 1010, the host 1002 initiates a transmission carrying the user data towards the UE 1006. The host 1002 may initiate the transmission responsive to a request transmitted by the UE 1006. The request may be caused by human interaction with the UE 1006 or by operation of the client application executing on the UE 1006. The transmission may pass via the network node 1004, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. Accordingly, in step 1012, the network node 1004 transmits to the UE 1006 the user data that was carried in the transmission that the host 1002 initiated, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure. In step 1014, the UE 1006 receives the user data carried in the transmission, which may be performed by a client application executed on the UE 1006 associated with the host application executed by the host 1002. In some examples, the UE 1006 executes a client application which provides user data to the host 1002. The user data may be provided in reaction or response to the data received from the host 1002. Accordingly, in step 1016, the UE 1006 may provide user data, which may be performed by executing the client application. In providing the user data, the client application may further consider user input received from the user via an input / output interface of the UE 1006. Regardless of the specific manner in which the user data was provided, the UE 1006 initiates, in step 1018, transmission of the user data towards the host 1002 via the network node 1004. In step 1020, in accordance with the teachings of the embodiments described throughout this disclosure, the network node 1004 receives user data from the UE 1006 and initiates transmission of the received user data towards the host 1002. In step 1022, the host 1002 receives the user data carried in the transmission initiated by the UE 1006.

[0154] One or more of the various embodiments improve the performance of OTT services provided to the UE 1006 using the OTT connection 1050, in which the wireless connection 1070 forms the last segment. More precisely, the teachings of these embodiments may improve the power saving and responsiveness of the UE and thereby provide benefits such as increased power consumption, better battery life, and reduced user waiting, among others.

[0155] In an example scenario, factory status information may be collected and analyzed by the host 1002. As another example, the host 1002 may process audio and video data which may have been retrieved from a UE for use in creating maps. As another example, the host 1002 may collect and analyze real-time data to assist in controlling vehicle congestion (e.g., controlling traffic lights). As another example, the host 1002 may store surveillance video uploaded by a UE. As another example, the host 1002 may store or control access to media content such as video, audio, VR or AR which it can broadcast, multicast or unicast to UEs. As other examples, the host 1002 may be used for energy pricing, remote control of non-time critical electrical load to balance power generation needs, location services, presentation services (such as compiling diagrams etc. from data collected from remote devices), or any other function of collecting, retrieving, storing, analyzing and / or transmitting data.

[0156] In some examples, a measurement procedure may be provided for the purpose of monitoring data rate, latency and other factors on which the one or more embodiments improve. There may further be an optional network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection 1050 between the host 1002 and UE 1006, in response to variations in the measurement results. The measurement procedure and / or the network functionality for reconfiguring the OTT connection may be implemented in software and hardware of the host 1002 and / or UE 1006. In some embodiments, sensors (not shown) may be deployed in or in association with other devices through which the OTT connection 1050 passes; the sensors may participate in the measurement procedure by supplying values of the monitored quantities exemplified above, or supplying values of other physical quantities from which software may compute or estimate the monitored quantities. The reconfiguring of the OTT connection 1050 may include message format, retransmission settings, preferred routing etc.; the reconfiguring need not directly alter the operation of the network node 1004. Such procedures and functionalities may be known and practiced in the art. In certain embodiments, measurements may involve proprietary UE signaling that facilitates measurements of throughput, propagation times, latency and the like, by the host 1002. The measurements may be implemented in that software causes messages to be transmitted, in particular empty or ‘dummy’ messages, using the OTT connection 1050 while monitoring propagation times, errors, etc.

[0157] Although the computing devices described herein (e.g., UEs, network nodes, hosts) may include the illustrated combination of hardware components, other embodiments may comprise computing devices with different combinations of components. It is to be understood that these computing devices may comprise any suitable combination of hardware and / or software needed to perform the tasks, features, functions and methods disclosed herein. Determining, calculating, obtaining or similar operations described herein may be performed by processing circuitry, which may process information by, for example, converting the obtained information into other information, comparing the obtained information or converted information to information stored in the network node, and / or performing one or more operations based on the obtained information or converted information, and as a result of said processing making a determination. Moreover, while components are depicted as single boxes located within a larger box, or nested within multiple boxes, in practice, computing devices may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component, and functionality may be partitioned between separate components. For example, a communication interface may be configured to include any of the components described herein, and / or the functionality of the components may be partitioned between the processing circuitry and the communication interface. In another example, non-computationally intensive functions of any of such components may be implemented in software or firmware and computationally intensive functions may be implemented in hardware.

[0158] In certain embodiments, some or all of the functionality described herein may be provided by processing circuitry executing instructions stored on in memory, which in certain embodiments may be a computer program product in the form of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. In alternative embodiments, some or all of the functionality may be provided by the processing circuitry without executing instructions stored on a separate or discrete device-readable storage medium, such as in a hard-wired manner. In any of those particular embodiments, whether executing instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or not, the processing circuitry can be configured to perform the described functionality. The benefits provided by such functionality are not limited to the processing circuitry alone or to other components of the computing device, but are enjoyed by the computing device as a whole, and / or by end users and a wireless network generally.

[0159] EMBODIMENTS

[0160] Group A Embodiments

[0161] 1. A method performed by a user equipment for wake-up signal (WUS) monitoring, the method comprising: measuring a wake-up signal (WUS) according to at least one criteria, the at least one criteria comprising: a signal power level; a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); or a bit error rate (BER); determining that a WUS radio link has failed in response to determining that one or more conditions are met, the one or more conditions comprising: the signal power level being less than a threshold level; the SNR being less than a threshold ratio; or the BER being less than a threshold rate.

[0162] 2. The method of embodiment 1, wherein: a first counter is associated with WUS radio link monitoring; a first timer is associate with the WUS radio link monitoring; and the method further comprises: increasing the first counter by one each time a WUS radio link failure is detected during a time period set by the first timer; and comparing the first counter with a threshold value, wherein the threshold value indicates a maximum allowed number of WUS radio link failures.

[0163] 3. The method of embodiment 2, further comprising: determining that an instance of the WUS radio link failure has not been detected during the time period set by the first timer; in response to determining that the instance of the WUS radio link failure has not been detected during the time period set by the first timer, decreasing the first counter by one. 4. The method of embodiment 3, further comprising: determining that the first counter exceeds the threshold value; in response to determining that the first counter exceeds the threshold value, performing a countermeasure action.

[0164] 5. The method of embodiment 2, wherein the threshold value is determined based at least on: a coverage condition comprising the SNR, a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio

[0165] (SINR), a reference signal received power (RSRP), or reference signal received quality (RSRQ); a speed of the UE; one or more WUS parameters comprising, a WUS duration, a WUS bandwidth, a WUS transmit power, or a WUS architecture.

[0166] 6. The method of embodiment 2, wherein the threshold value is configured by a network.

[0167] 7. The method of embodiment 4, wherein the countermeasure action comprises a first action or a second action, the first action comprising: exiting a WUS monitoring state; causing a main radio receiver to be turned on; and monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); and the second action comprising: switching a type of the WUS to another type; and continuing monitoring the WUS associated with the other type.

[0168] 8. The method of embodiment 1, wherein: a second timer is associated with a WUS reception; and the method further comprises: determining whether the WUS is received before the second timer expires; resetting the second timer in response to determining that the WUS is received before the second timer expires; determining that the WUS radio link has failed in response to determining that the WUS has not received before the second timer expires; and in response to determining that a WUS radio link has failed, performing a countermeasure action. 9. The method of embodiment 8, wherein the countermeasure action comprises a first action or a second action, the first action comprising: exiting a WUS monitoring state; causing a main radio receiver to be turned on; and monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); and the second action comprising: switching a type of the WUS to another type; and continuing monitoring the WUS associated with the other type.

[0169] 10. The method of embodiment 1, wherein: a third timer is associated with a WUS reception; a second counter is associated with the WUS reception; and the method further comprises: increasing the second counter by one each time a WUS radio link failure is detected; determining that the second counter has reached a threshold value; in response to determining that the second counter has reached the threshold value, starting the third timer; determining whether any WUS is received before the third timer is expired; and in response to determining that no WUS is received before the third timer is expired, performing a countermeasure action.

[0170] 11. The method of embodiment 10, wherein the countermeasure action comprises a first action or a second action, the first action comprising: exiting a WUS monitoring state; causing a main radio receiver to be turned on; and monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); and the second action comprising: switching a type of the WUS to another type; and continuing monitoring the WUS associated with the other type.

[0171] 12. The method of embodiment 1, wherein: a fourth timer is associated with a WUS reception; a third counter is associated with the WUS reception; and the method further comprises: resetting the fourth timer upon a first WUS radio link failure; increasing the third counter for each subsequent WUS radio link failure; comparing the fourth counter with a second threshold value; comparing the third counter with a third threshold value; in response to determining that the fourth counter has reached the second threshold and / or the third timer has reached the third threshold value, performing a countermeasure action.

[0172] 13. The method of embodiment 12, wherein the countermeasure action comprises a first action or a second action, the first action comprising: exiting a WUS monitoring state; causing a main radio receiver to be turned on; and monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH); and the second action comprising: switching a type of the WUS to another type; and continuing monitoring the WUS associated with the other type.

[0173] 14. A method performed by a wireless device, the method comprising:

[0174] - any of the wireless device steps, features, or functions described above, either alone or in combination with other steps, features, or functions described above.

[0175] 15. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising one or more additional wireless device steps, features or functions described above.

[0176] Group B Embodiments

[0177] 16. A method performed by a network node for managing a wake-up signal (WUS) monitoring for a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: transmitting at least one criteria for measuring a wake-up signal (WUS), the at least one criteria comprising: a signal power level; a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); or a bit error rate (BER); and receiving a report indicating that a WUS radio link has failed based on an evaluation of one or more conditions, the one or more conditions comprising: the signal power level being less than a threshold level; the SNR being less than a threshold ratio; or the BER being less than a threshold rate.

[0178] 17. A method performed by a base station, the method comprising:

[0179] - any of the steps, features, or functions described above with respect to base station, either alone or in combination with other steps, features, or functions described above.

[0180] 18. The method of the previous embodiment, further comprising one or more additional base station steps, features or functions described above.

[0181] Group C Embodiments

[0182] 19. A user equipment for wake-up signal (WUS) monitoring, comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; and power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

[0183] 20. A network node for managing a wake-up signal (WUS) monitoring for a user equipment (UE), the network node comprising: processing circuitry configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group B embodiments; power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry.

[0184] 21. A user equipment (UE) for wake-up signal (WUS) monitoring, the UE comprising: an antenna configured to send and receive wireless signals; radio front-end circuitry connected to the antenna and to processing circuitry, and configured to condition signals communicated between the antenna and the processing circuitry; the processing circuitry being configured to perform any of the steps of any of the Group A embodiments; an input interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to allow input of information into the UE to be processed by the processing circuitry; an output interface connected to the processing circuitry and configured to output information from the UE that has been processed by the processing circuitry; and a battery connected to the processing circuitry and configured to supply power to the UE.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method (300) by a user equipment, UE (512, 600), the method comprising: measuring (310), using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by a network (502) according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality, wherein the at least one criterion comprises: whether a signal power level is above or below a threshold level; or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below a threshold ratio; or whether a block error rate is above or below a threshold rate; or whether a bit error rate is above or below a threshold rate; using a timer and / or a counter to determine (320) whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; and performing (330) the countermeasure action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the countermeasure action comprises: monitoring a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH; or causing a main receiver to be turned on; or stopping operation of the wake-up receiver; or switching to measuring a different type of signal; or switching to measuring using a different type of wake-up receiver.

3. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein a first timer and a first counter are used to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein the method comprises: increasing the first counter when, during a time period set by the first timer, said signal power level is below the threshold level or said signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and performing the countermeasure action when the first counter exceeds a threshold value during the time period set by the first timer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method comprises: decreasing the first counter when, during the time period set by the first timer, said signal power level is above the threshold level or said signal to noise ratio is above the threshold ratio.

5. The method of any of claims 3-4, wherein the method comprises: decreasing the first counter when said signal power level has not been below the thresholdlevel for a time period set by a second timer or said signal to noise ratio has not been below the threshold ratio for a time period set by a second timer.

6. The method of any of claims 3-5, wherein the threshold value is determined based at least on: a coverage condition comprising a signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, a signal-to-interference- plus-noise ratio, SINR, a reference signal received power, RSRP, or a reference signal received quality, RSRQ; or a speed of the UE; or one or more parameters comprising a duration, bandwidth, or transmit power of the one or more measured signals; or a wake-up receiver architecture used by the UE.

7. The method of any of claims 3-6, wherein the threshold value is configured by the network.

8. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein a third timer and a second counter are used to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein the method comprises: increasing the second counter when said signal power level is below the threshold level or said signal to noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; starting the third timer when the second counter has reached a threshold value; determining whether the WUS is received before the third timer is expired; and performing the countermeasure action in response to determining that the WUS has not been received before the third timer expires.

9. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein a fourth timer and a third counter are used to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein the method comprises: resetting the fourth timer a first time that: said signal power level is below the threshold level; or said signal to noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; increasing the third counter each subsequent time that: said signal power level is below the threshold level; or said signal to noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and performing the countermeasure action when the third counter has reached a threshold and / or the fourth timer has reached a threshold.

10. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises: starting a fifth timer when a signal transmitted by the network is successfully received; determining whether the signal is successfully received again before the fifth timer expires; resetting the fifth timer in response to determining that the WUS is successfully received again before the fifth timer expires; and performing the countermeasure action in response to determining that the signal has not been received again before the fifth timer expires.

11. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the network include an on-off keying, OOK, based synchronization signal.

12. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the network include a synchronization signal block, SSB.

13. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the network include a wake-up signal targeting the UE.

14. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the network include an on-off keying, OOK, based wake-up signal.

15. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more signals transmitted by the network include an on-off keying, OOK, based wake-up signal with one or more overlaid orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, OFDM, sequences.

16. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the UE comprises the wake-up receiver and a main receiver.

17. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the wake-up receiver is configured to wake up a main receiver upon reception of a wake-up signal.

18. A user equipment, UE (512, 600), comprising: processing circuitry (602); and power supply circuitry (608) configured to supply power to the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:measure, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by a network (502) according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality, wherein the at least one criterion comprises: whether a signal power level is above or below a threshold level; or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below a threshold ratio; or whether a block error rate is above or below a threshold rate; or whether a bit error rate is above or below a threshold rate; use a timer and / or a counter to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; and perform the countermeasure action.

19. The UE of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the method of any of claims 2-17.

20. A method (400) performed by a network node (510, 700) of a network (502), the method comprising: transmitting (410), to a user equipment, UE (512, 600), a threshold level or threshold ratio for the UE to measure, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by the network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality, wherein the at least one criterion comprises whether a signal power level is above or below the threshold level or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below the threshold ratio; and transmitting (420), to the UE, a threshold value for the UE to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein: a first timer and a first counter are used to determine whether the countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; the first counter is increased when, during a time period set by the first timer, said signal power level is below the threshold level or said signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and the countermeasure action is performed when the first counter exceeds the threshold value during the time period set by the first timer.

21. A network node (510, 700) for use in a network (502), the network node comprising: processing circuitry (702); and power supply circuitry (708) configured to supply power to the processing circuitry, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:transmit, to a user equipment, UE (512, 600), a threshold level or threshold ratio for the UE to measure, using a wake-up receiver, one or more signals transmitted by the network according to at least one criterion indicative of a radio link quality, wherein the at least one criterion comprises whether a signal power level is above or below the threshold level or whether a signal-to-noise ratio is above or below the threshold ratio; and transmit, to the UE, a threshold value for the UE to determine whether a countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring, wherein: a first timer and a first counter are used to determine whether the countermeasure action is to be performed in response to a result of the measuring; the first counter is increased when, during a time period set by the first timer, said signal power level is below the threshold level or said signal-to-noise ratio is below the threshold ratio; and the countermeasure action is performed when the first counter exceeds the threshold value during the time period set by the first timer.

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